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Jelly Bean’s offspring Bertie Botts is an cute little “sweetheart”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a big but guardian-like companion. Zephyr has “ants in his pants” and wiggles like a worm. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canada-based amusement park have become pawns in a tussle between a shuttered park, local and national governments and animal rights activists.

But those most familiar with the whales say the heated controversy over their destiny often ignores the nuances of the whales who, after growing up in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who interact with them daily.

After the national authorities blocked the transfer of the belugas to China, the struggling amusement park near the famous falls where they are housed stated it would consider to end their lives unless the government pays for the upkeep of their survival. Canada’s fisheries minister has denied that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Researchers say that belugas’ neural makeup, along with their mimicry abilities, intellectual tasks and social skills point to they are deeply intelligent mammals – something Kristy Burgess discovered first-hand.

She spent a significant period as a whale caretaker, a position that involved building relationships of the marine predators.

“Building up those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “Eventually, you gain reciprocal understanding. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so extraordinary and fulfilling.”

The trainer knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was even so surprised by the nuances and idiosyncrasies in their dispositions. She developed a deep bond for a pair of whales with opposing natures.

“Eve chose me. Cleo required effort,” she said. “Each altered the way I perceive connection.”

Public Concerns and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of rising activist criticism to their enclosure.

During her tenure at the facility, multiple belugas and the park’s single killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In total, nineteen belugas have died at the park since recent years, a toll which the park ascribes to natural mortality, but which advocates say indicates the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not admit visitors to the public over the summer, but Burgess says she witnessed firsthand effects of the cessation. “Concrete is breaking off from the tanks because they’re in disrepair and not being fixed. The whales are inquisitive and so they pick it up and navigate with fragments in their jaws. It’s distressing to see.”

The park did not reply to a inquiry, but previously stated: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 care than any human in the Britain, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

Burgess was terminated from the facility in the spring following the passing of Eos, an ailing beluga the park staff had to euthanize. She said the facility thought particulars of the incident were shared to the news outlets and she was released not long after.

The ambiguity over the whales’ future has left her and staff members in anguish. She says the park’s ultimatum to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “practically unfeasible” task, adding any efforts to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, trucks and machinery.

“It cannot happen in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports requests for the whales to be removed immediately from the park, with its crumbling tanks and reduced personnel.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to an overseas location.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a ongoing existence in captivity and a reversion to public entertainment,” the minister wrote. “As society, we know that whales should be in the ocean, not in pools for our amusement. I could not in clear conscience approve an transfer that would perpetuate the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the minister’s statements reflect a broader incorrect perception of the facts of existence for belugas born in captivity.

“The society needs to understand these are whales that have lived entirely in confinement and they will need human care for the remainder of their lives,” she said. “People just don’t comprehend that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Ongoing Debate

As decision makers work to find a answer, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for local populations.

A suggested refuge in the province of Nova Scotia, which now received government approval, has shown to be contentious. The prospective facility, which includes a large area of enclosed sea water, is not yet built. Proponents remain positive that it could in time represent a permanent resolution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among trainers she’s spoken with, there is “skepticism there” about what she said is “only an trial” in the whales’ well-being.

Some experts say the possibility of a sanctuary indicates a changing attitudes away from animal displays and could represent a viable solution in the near future.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the location will mimic the cognitive activities and feeding regimen the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a more expansive space. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|